Tire-armor.



No. 816,182. PATENTED MAR. 2'7, 1906.

H. E. PROUTY.

TIRE ARMOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906.

H, E. PROUTY.

TIRE ARMOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

O N O Q m r tlIZTEl) TATE PATENT @FFBGE HOMER E. PROUTY, OF GENOA, ILLINOIS.

TlRE AQWlOFl.

Specification of Letters 1' .tent.

Patented March 27, 1906,

Application filetl June 26,1905. Serial No. 566,990.

T0 all lull/07:2, [23 may con/067%.-

Be it known that l, HOMER E. PROUTY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at ,it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to vehicle-wheel at E tachments, and more particularly to traction or automobile wheels.

an attachment to vehicle-wheels embodying such characteristics to prevent slipping of the wheels.

Another object of the invention is to pri wide an attachment designed to be applied to antomobile or other vehicle wheels in such manner as to protect he tires thereof and to prevent slipping of the wheels.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of means arranged in sections for detachable engagement with vehiclc-wheels to prevent slipping thereof, and thereby aid in the driving power of the wheels.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combinationand arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without dcparling from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a wheel having my attaclnncnt secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a. top plan view of a wheel, illustrating one section of my attachment. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a wheel having one section of my attachment secured thereto, illustrating a mod fied form of means for securing the ends of each element of each section to the wheel. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line a (1- of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference. character- 1 designatesa wheel, including a hub 2, spokes 3, and a rubber tire 4, all of which may be of any form and material employed for the purpose.

The reference character 5 designates awire l l l l bent at one of its ends to embrace the spoke 3, with its body portion bent at intervals, as at 5',toform parallel portions 6 and (he highlportion 7, the bight port-ions being arranged alternately at the corresponding ends of the parallel portions of the wire 5, the opposite end of the said wire being bent alongside of the rubber tire and the l'elly and being bent around the spoke 3 above the telly, the op positc bent ends of the said wire 5 being bent in the form of hooks to engage the aforesaid spokes. Secured to the respective spokes 3 and 3 are thchookcd ends 8 and l) of an- One (ibjQCt of the invention is to provide other piece of wire H), which is also bent to form parallel members 11, the bighi portions 12 of the parallel members being arranged alternately at the sides of the said wire 10 and the inner bight portions of each wire 5 and it) being interlaced or inlerlocluvhas designated by the reference character 11;. The hooked ends of each piece of wire 5 and H) may be formed so to be sprung into cngagement with the respective spokes. it will be seen that there is employed a series of sec tions of the interlocked bent wires, so that the outer surfaces or pm'iphery of the rubber tire may be completely protected from wear and to facilitate the driving of the vehicle by reason of the inability of the wheels slipping when employing my attaclnnent.

instead of bending the ends of the wires lo and ll around the spokes of the vehicle the ends 14 and 15 may be passed through openings 16 in the folly l7 and screw-lln'eaded at their extremities for engagement of a. nut 18. In other words, both ends of each wire of each section may be passed through the fel lies and provided with a suitable nut to prc vent detachment of the armor from the tire. This latter construction is clearly shown in Fig 3, to which attention isinvited, in connection with the description just alluded to.

There is shown still another means of connecting the end:v of each bent wire to the spokes. For instance, the ends 1!) and 20 of each bent wire is directed upwardly alongside of the rubber tirc 21, termina ting at the base of the folly 22, the free ends of the wires being screw-threaded, as at 22%, for engagement therewith of a. nut 24, whose opposite 'ends receive the screw threaded ends 25 of the hooked members 26 and'27, respimtivcly, of the wires 19 and 20, the said hooked clc ments 26 and 27 embracing a corresponding spoke 28 one above the other and directly upon the felly By reason of this nut ongagement 24- the Wires may be readil Y re moved from engagement vvith the tire by disengaging the ends, and it is obvious that by reason of the said nuts the said Wires maybe readily tightened upon the tire.

It will thus be seen that the body of my improved armor or roughenedsurface attachment lor the tires may be connected to the Wheels through the instrumentality of various methods, and I wish it understood that, if desired, a piece of leather or other suitable material 29 may be secured between the periphery of the rubber tire and the innerlace ol' the armor to protect the tire against wear occasioned by the engagement therewith of the armor. If this leather or similar material 29 is en'iployed, it will be secured dirertly to the armor at the point of interlock ing engagement. by means of a strap or other suitable fastening 30.

it will now be understood that While I have described various methods of securing the armor lo thewheel l. may employ other methods for thesame purpose Without depart ingfrom the spirit and scope of my in- \Mllion so long as I eonline myself to the scope ol' my claims.

The main feature oi my invernion resides in the provision of means to prevent slipping ol' the wheels and to protect the rubber tires from wear, it being obvious that by reason of the perulia r formation of each pair of wires and interlocking each pair oi each section together slipping ol' the wheels is positively prevented, permitting of lirm engagement of the wheels with the road-bed, and consequently providing a positive drive of the wheels.

While 1 have stated that the armor is composod ol wire, it is to be understood that other material may be employed, if desired. .At any rate 1 prel'er strong steel With spring temper, as the attachmei'it would then be strong and not break when striking an ob struction. I might under certain conditions prefer to form the attachment o'l brass.

What is claimed is 1. A Wheel, including a rubber the pro vided with interlocking elements arranged. upon the periphery of the tire, each element having its ends secured to the spokes oi the WhGOl;

A Wheel, including a rubber, tire pro vided with elements arranged longitudinally of the tire in pairs, each pair of said elements having its inner longitudinal edge interlocked with the inner longitudinal edge of its coinpanicn element, the ends of each element oi each pair being secured to the Wheel.

3. A Wheel, including a rubber tire pro vided with elements arranged longitudinally of the tire in pairs, each pair of said elements having its inner longitudinal edge interlocked With the inner longitudinal edge of its companion element, the ends of each element of 7 each pair being detaohably secured to the Wheel.

4. A Wheel, including a rubber tire -"ov'ided With interlocking elements arranged upon the periphery of the tire, each element spokes ol' the Wheel.

5. As an article of n'1ainifacture,-an armor for vehicle-tires consisting of pairs of interlocking elements having flexible material secured thereto at their point or" interlocking engagement.

In t istiinony WhGTGOf 1 eiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HOMER E. PRUUTY. lVitnesses:

Austin,

having its ends detachably secured to the 

